Identifying the principal mechanism of star formation feedback
Feedback from massive stars regulates the formation of next-generation stars and planets and thus shapes the evolution of galaxies, yet observational evidence capable of determining which mechanism dominates the feedback process has long been lacking. Here, we present a large-scale H I survey toward Orion A. With an unprecedented sensitivity and superior resolution, FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope) reveals a well-defined heart-shaped expanding H I bubble, enshrouding the well-known “Veil” bubble of ionized gas. The photoionization-driven and wind-driven gas expands at 10.9 and 13.8 kilometers per second, respectively, with a kinetic energy ratio of 1:2 assuming a spherical symmetry and a uniform H I -to-H 2 ratio. This first direct comparison within a single bubble shows that radiation does not dominate the feedback process as predicted by classical theories; instead, stellar winds contribute a comparable share of the injected kinetic energy.
Authors
- Fujun Du (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7489-0179)
- Shuinai Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8329-6606)
- Y. Gong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3866-414X)
- Xin Lyu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8550-0095)
- Rouyu Li
- Miaomiao Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6388-649X)
- Shu Niu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9930-5941)
- Marko Krčo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9659-0292)
- Hongchi Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0746-7968)
- Keping Qiu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5093-5088)
- Lile Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6540-7042)
- Yan Duan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3758-7426)
- Yang Su (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0197-470X)
- Zhiwei Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0849-0692)
- Yuehui Ma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8051-5228)
- Yuchen Xing (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1868-938X)
- Chong Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2218-3437)
- Yinghui Zheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2303-395X)
- Yao Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5412-352X)
- Jiawei Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4011-3950)
- Di Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3010-7661)
- Shaobo Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2549-7247)
- Yue Cao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6368-7570)
- Yulian Guo
- Tianwei Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1466-3484)
- Haoran Feng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1714-0600)
- Min Fang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8060-1321)
- Chenrui Li
- Xuepeng Chen
- Zhijun Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6711-0472)
Institutions
- China West Normal University (CN)
- Peking University (CN)
- Purple Mountain Observatory (CN)
- Kavli Institute for Theoretical Sciences (CN)
- Zhejiang Lab (CN)
- Space Engineering University (CN)
- National Astronomical Observatories (CN)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Nanjing University (CN)
- Tsinghua University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science Advances
- Published
- 2026-09-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aec0787
- Primary Topic
- Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China